Society Policies

The Mendip Society firmly supports the development of renewable energy sources, but not at a cost to the character of the countryside, its bio diversity and historic landscape. It believes that great care must be taken in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and along their boundaries.

The opening paragraph of the Society’s policy statement declares that the society, ‘Supports renewable energy developments which are of a scale in keeping with the character and quality of the countryside, recognising the urgent need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and replace fossil fuels’

MENDIP SOCIETY RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY 2005

The Society

1. Supports renewable energy developments which are of a scale in keeping with the character and quality of the countryside, recognising the urgent need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and replace fossil fuels.
2. Supports small-scale community renewable energy schemes, such as micro-hydro, wood fuels, ground source heat pumps and passive and active solar subject to the need to obtain planning permission where buildings of traditional character are involved.
3. Accepts small scale community wind power generation projects, where small-scale is less than 25kW and subject to criteria such as the need for power on remote sites, the satisfaction of local needs, whether the development is locally controlled, the impact on biodiversity and landscape character, location near to and in scale with existing buildings and trees, the impact of overhead and other infrastructure and proposals for decommissioning.
4. Opposes large-scale (ie more than 25kW) wind power projects in the Mendip Hills AONB and along its boundary.
5. Opposes development large-scale wind power projects elsewhere in or close to the Mendip Hills whose scale or location impose a disproportionate adverse impact on local landscape character.
6. Expects all alternative sites for large-scale wind power development outside the Mendip Hills to be fully evaluated and utilised before sites in the Hills are considered.
7. Opposes the large-scale development of energy crops and related power stations in the Mendip Hills.
8. Strongly supports energy conservation measures, particularly in new build.
9. Strongly supports energy generation equipment, particularly in new build, such as solar panels and ground source heat pumps.
10. Supports programmes such as the Community Renewables Initiative which promote sustainable energy generation and use at the local level.
11. Will formulate a policy on estuarial barrages as and when it appears necessary.
Severn Tidal Energy Policy Approved by the Management Committee May 2008

The Society:
1. Supports renewable energy developments which are of a scale in keeping with the character and quality of the countryside, recognising the urgent need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and replace fossil fuels.
2. Considers that from the information available at present it is not in favour of the construction of a barrage. After the current two-year Government study we may be able to reconsider this view. The SPA/SAC status of the Severn Estuary system and the high conservation value of much of the estuary’s hinterland preclude any scheme which would change the tidal regime of the whole estuary to the detriment of the conservation value of the area, unless a scheme is shown to be in the national interest and after exhaustive examination of all alternative sites and methods, here and elsewhere in the UK.
3. Welcomes the widening of the Government study to include tidal lagoon technology, but reserves its position on the merits of large-scale lagoons in the Severn, whose environmental impact might be greater than a barrage.
4. Considers that the study should include tidal stream technology tidal flow machines, tidal weirs set out into the estuary but not blocking the tide and where compatible with landscape objectives, wind farms and turbines on-shore and off-shore.
5. Does not accept that two new nuclear power stations on existing Severnside nuclear sites could be substituted for a barrage. Whilst this is a carbon-free energy source, it is not an either/or option, as it is quite likely that at least one new Severnside station will be built in any case.
6. Is concerned that tidal lagoons could impact on the visual and wildlife character of the estuary and would not support such measures without full and exhaustive study that demonstrated that the conservation status would not be adversely affected.
7. Is concerned that any barrage landfall at Brean Down is unacceptable in terms of the damage that would be wrought to this unique National Trust site which is worthy of AONB designation.
8. Is concerned that the impact of a Severn Barrage would be mainly felt through its effects on the subsequent development of Severnside, including likely new transport infrastructure and estuarial crossing. The effect on the Mendip Hills could be severe, including increased development, noise and light pollution, overhead power lines etc.
9. Considers that construction material used to provide barrages or lagoons should be sourced from outside the region and transported by sea, rather than be sourced from the Mendip Hills or Wye Valley.

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